This major UK music venues is set to build a floating stage

If a major musician is stopping by Glasgow, it’s likely they’ll be at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). It’s home to the OVO Hydro which, over the next year alone, will welcome the likes of Stevie Wonder, Fontaines DC, Charli xcx and Weezer. But the Hydro is just one venue within the SEC. There’s the SEC Centre, which is usually used for conferences, and the SEC Armadillo, which hosts smaller concerts and theatre shows. Together, they draw in more than two million people each year (most recently for the Commonwealth Games). Soon, the campus could be getting a huge upgrade and even more annual visitors.

Owners of the SEC and Holmes Miller Architects have unveiled their dramatic plan for the site. Around 64 acres of land that’s mostly used for parking right now will be transformed into a ‘new city quarter’. That would make better use of roughly 60 percent of the current footprint of the campus. 

The most intriguing feature in the proposals is a floating platform that’s anchored on the River Clyde in front of the OVO Hydro. The plan is for outdoor events and performances to take place on it. Illustrations also show large buildings, which may serve as hotels or shops, a new car park and a new bridge going over the Clydeside Expressway to replace the existing, run-down walkway. 

Developers say that the transformation will ‘expand and enhance the core SEC offer’ while also creating a ‘vibrant new urban district for Glasgow’.

The SEC is currently seeking a funding partner to help it bring the development to life. Plans haven’t been submitted to Glasgow City Council yet.

Invest Glasgow, Glasgow City Council’s business support hub, said: ‘The developments would see SEC being a global leader in the Live Events and Conference and Exhibitions industry, creating one of the world’s most sustainable event venues.

‘The vision responds to the evolving context of the city and the River Clyde waterfront, aligning with emerging trends in placemaking, sustainability, and experiential destinations. D-SEC will create a dynamic environment that is active year-round, attracts global audiences, and fosters local community engagement – positioning the SEC as both a world-class venue and the heart of a new city quarter.’

Did you see that Charli xcx has announced a 2027 UK tour? 

Plus: A major new UK music festival will take over one of England’s most legendary cricket stadiums.

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